Christmas is just a few days away and today I want to talk to you about a few things we forget when we’re in the spirit of spending money and getting things ready for Christmas. Today I want to talk to you about gratitude and giving. 

So, let’s talk about generosity and gratitude. I was in Belize, my home country, and I realized a few things. We are all super grateful for all we have received this year. 2021 has been a tough year on the stock market, although not as bad as 2020, fortunately. We were able to make some gains and meet some of our goals, if not all of our goals, investments or otherwise. I’m hoping that you were successful in 2021, and that you’re going to be successful in 2022 and beyond. I wish that upon you; I wish that for you. 

But, for those of us who have had some success, even if it’s a little bit of success, I want to remind you this Christmas season, the importance of giving back and of generosity. I mentioned my recent trip to Belize because every time I go to Belize, I remember my maternal grandmother, who recently passed away a few years ago. I went by her house and something in me expected to see her there, and she wasn’t there. It’s sad, but I also have such great memories of her at that house, because she was the most generous person that I’ve ever known. 

Imagine- she and my grandpa raised 11 children. Times were different back then, but I can’t imagine birthing, much less feeding 11 hungry children. I can barely feed the three that I have, myself and my husband and the whole extended family. But to feed 11 of them, and on top of that, she was well known in the community for feeding others. There would be homeless people who would stop by her house all the time for food, and she would always have an extra plate of food. Where she got it from, I have no idea, because after feeding all these people, how do you have extra food to go around to help other people in need? I found that incredible. Even coming from a situation of poverty, and a situation where she had her own family’s needs to take care of, she always found extra to give someone else. 

It’s a reminder that this Christmas, no matter our circumstances, we all have something that we can give. Even if it’s a little bit of our time, a little bit of our energy, a little bit of our patience, a little bit of something. And it’s not just to be reserved for your family. We always say that Christmas is a time for giving, and yes, we give gifts to our family members and friends, but think about giving to those less fortunate, people who are in need, people with disabilities. Think about giving to somebody random. It could be a random act of kindness. Somebody could be short $100 when buying something and you could make up for it. Easy-peasy and it doesn’t really cost you much. 

So, the importance of giving this Christmas season is something I always strive to remember. So often we get caught up in our personal ambitions, our own financial goals, our own issues, expenses and finances, that we forget sometimes to give back and how important generosity is. There’s a Christian song with lyrics that say “freely, freely you have received; freely, freely give. And it’s one of the few that I actually remember and it always resonates with me when I think about it. We receive so much, and are blessed with so much. 

Those of us who have started our investment journey and are on the path to creating wealth: we receive! We also have to remember, at a time like this, to give.

And another thing that I wanted to touch upon, as we head into Christmas, is the importance of giving thanks and gratitude. The simple act of gratitude. Sometimes we forget to be grateful for what we do have. At a time like this, we tend to think of the things that we want. And we say Christmas is a time for indulging, luxuries and a time to give yourself something. If you give your wife, or your mother a vacuum cleaner or something that she can use to clean the house, she might not appreciate that. Maybe some will, if she asked for it, but others might see that as a need, not a want. We tend to think Christmas is a time for wants: I wanted those pair of shoes. I didn’t need them, but I really just wanted to indulge myself. 

I think, especially at a time like this, we need to remember to be grateful for the things that we do have, even if you’re not able to afford the things you want this Christmas. Maybe you’re building towards next Christmas, or the Christmas beyond that, or even your children’s and your grandchildren’s Christmas. You’re sacrificing now for something much greater later on. I just wanted to remind you to be grateful for the things that you do have and express gratitude. If you’re a God-fearing person, give thanks to God. But also, to give thanks to those people in your life who mean a lot to you, who give to you freely, their heart, their time, their money. I know many times, if you have children, you think you give them so much and they don’t really understand or appreciate it. But think about all the things your parents have given you. When was the last time you said thanks? When was the last time you called and said thank you for the things that they have done? Especially now being a parent, you can realize and recognize the sacrifices they made in a way that you couldn’t before. And make sure to let them know that you are grateful and you thank them and you love them. 

So, give that thanks to the people who need to hear it now. Don’t wait till it’s too late to tell them what they mean to you. Spread love. Christmas is all about spreading love, and giving love. So, show love and show some appreciation to the people in your life that mean the most to you. That truly is your wealth. 

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